SAN CARLOS, Calif. (KGTV) — Students at Patrick Henry High School in San Carlos were given Narcan kits and taught how to administer the drug used to reverse opioid overdoses.
"Every parent needs to understand what we have on the streets today is the deadliest drug we've ever seen," said William Perno, a Senior Prevention Specialist with SAY San Diego.
The school invited SAY San Deigo, a community advocacy organization, to teach health and physical education students about the dangers of fentanyl.
"About a month ago, we got an email from some people we used to be good friends with. Their 17-year-old son had accidentally overdosed on fentanyl," said Terri Clark, a physical education teacher.
"I started thinking about how can we get information into our students' hands to at least educate them."
The majority of youth overdoses are accidental. Perno said that's because fentanyl can be made to look identical to prescription pills and other drugs. Plus, teenagers like to experiment.
"They may be thinking they're taking a Xanax pill, but it's fake. Xanax is not supposed to have any opioid medication in there. They're going to end up with a fake Xanax pill of fentanyl," Perno said.
During the assembly, students learned about fentanyl awareness and risks, the symptoms of an opioid overdose, and how to administer Narcan, including how much to give someone.
The organization provided the school with more than 1,200 Narcan kits for students to take home if they wanted to.
Experts said it's not a pass for students to try drugs. Instead, it's about educating them on why they should say no and how to save a person's life if they're around someone who's overdosing.
"It's a parental responsibility, but I think it's a part of basic education for the health and safety of everybody in the community," said Dr. Jim Dunford, the Medical Director of the McAlister Institute.
The school notified parents about the students receiving Narcan kits prior to the assembly.
There's also a state law that protects people who report drug overdoses. Perno said some people don't call 911 because they're afraid they'll get in trouble.
